Amusement device



M. B. BENSON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE- APPLICATION FILED DEC-21, 1920.

1,409,357. Patented Main 14. 1922.

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Jazz, at. B y Mid-73m 0g A TTORA'E Y MELVIN B. BENSON, OF SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ul 14 1922 Application filed December 21, 1920. Serial No. 432,344.

To all IU/tO/IL it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN B. BENSON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Superior, in the county of Douglas and tate of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which I do declare the followingvto be a specification.

My invention relates to amusement devices, and has for its object the provision of an electric vehicle which is adapted to stop or buck when the operator attempts to drive it unconsciously with efforts different in energy from permissible efforts of the same general character. With this and other objects in view, my invention consists of the structures, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter. described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a central, vertical. longitudinal section, partly diagrammatic, of a driving mechanism, forming part of my said invention. Fig. 2, is a side elevation of two vehicles equipped with my said invention, engaged in a race on parallel tracks (the course of which may, if desired, be circular), showing the vehicle at the left proceeding and showing the vehicle at the right bucking.

In the drawings, 1, is an electric motor adapted to be carried by any suitable form of vehicle, as 2, 3, and to drive said vehicle. Said motor is adapted to be energized by any suitable source of electricity in circuit therewith, as by a distant generator, 4, of any suitable type. It is obvious that a storage battery (not shown) may if desired be substituted for said generator and may be carried by the vehicle. Said motor is included in a normally open circuit; preferably comprising said source; the wire 5, track rail 6; brush or vehicle wheel 7 wire 8; stationary contact rail 9; resistance element 10. including a series of fixed contact points 10*; a travelling contact 11; wires 12 and 12. the armature of said motor; and wires 13 and 14, trolley 15 and wire 16. Said contact 11 is adapted to electrically communicate at all times with said rail 9. In order to move said contact 11 into contact with one or another of said contacts 10*, so as to start the motor or to cut more or less of said resistance element out of the circuit, or vice versa, I provide the contactcarrying lever 17 upon one end of which said Contact 1-1 is mounted, and which lever is pivoted intermediate of its ends, as at 17 to any su1 tal)le support, as 18. The opposite end pt said lever is pivotally connected, as at 11', to a stem 19, which is adapted to be depressed by a governor, comprising the governor arms 20, 20, the spindle 20 and the fulcrum 20. Keyed to the lower end of said spindle is a pinion 21, adapted to engage agear 22, which is keyed to a shaft 22, to which also is keyed a crank, or hand wheel 23, of any suitable structure for operating said governor. When governor is not in operation, gravity will depress the free end of said lever until the contact 11 is out of contact with any of said contacts lfli thus opening the motor energizing circuit and stopping the device. Said free end of said lever may, if desired, be depressed by a spring, not shown.

Said motor is also included in a normally open short circuit including the armature of said motor, the wires 12 and 12 a normally open contact 12 and the wires 12 and 13. The normally open contact 12 in said short circuit is adapted to be closed by the armature 24 of a. magnet 24. I

Said source is also included in a circuit comprising said source, the wire 5, rail 6, brush or wheel 7, wire 8, rail 9, travelling contact 11, stationary contact 25, wire 26, make-and-break translation device of any suitable structure, as an electric alarm bell 27. coil of magnet 24, wires 24", 12 14,

. trolley 15, and wire 16.

The motor and governor may be placed, if desired, in a hood on the vehicle corresponding to the engine hood or compartment of an automobile and the wheel 23 may be arranged to simulate the steering wheel of an automobile. Since the vehicle is preferably operated upon a rail track, no steering wheel is necessary.

In operation, the vehicle equipped with my invention is intended to be rented for very short periods -to amusement seekers, who are first warned of its tendency to suddenly stop or buck, and that its continuous progress is due to the manner in which they operate it, but who are preferably not informed as to the mechanism which produces the results, thus there is a large element of uncertainty as to what causes the vehicle to buck, and as to when the bucking may be expected.

In operation, a race between two or more vehicles is preferably organized. The operator desirin to et as much speed as possible out of iis vehicle, turns the hand wheel rapidly, causing the governor to operate the lever 17 and contact 11, to cut out section after section of the resistance element. Spurred to greater efforts by the speed of his competitor, he turns the hand Wheel so rapidly that suddenly the contact 11 moves to contact 25, thus closing the circuit of the generator through the alarm bell 27 and coil of magnet 24. Said magnet thereupon attracts its armature 249, which closes the normally open contact 12 thereby short circuiting the motor brushes and causing the vehicle to stop. Surprise and hesitation on the part of the operator will for a moment cause him to relax his efi'orts whereupon the governor will permit the return of contact 11 to one of the contacts 10*, whereupon the vehicle will start again.

It is obvious that variations of operation may be produced by inserting at different points other contacts (not shown) similar to contact 25, and that said structure may be modified in various Ways with the spirit and scope of certain of my claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In an amusement device, the combination with a vehicle, of an electric motor for driving the same, a source of electricity for driving said motor, an electric controller for governing the speed of said motor, a mechanical manually-operatable controller for operating said electric controller, a motor-cut-out circuit including said electric controller, and a dynamic brake circuit adapted to short circuit the brushes of said motor when said motor-cut-out circuit is in operation.

2. The combination with a vehicle, of driving and halting means therefor, including a normally open electric circuit comprising a source of electricity, normally open rheostaticcontacts and a motor; mechanical manually operatable means, including an operating shaft, a speed governor, and transmission means for closing said rheostaticpontacts; an electric circuit comprising said source, a normally open contact adapted to be closed by said manually operated mechanism, and the. coil of 'an electro magnet; and an electric circuit comprising the armature of said motor and a normally open contact adapted to be closed by the armature of said magnet; the construction being such that when said manually operated means is actuated at any speed within predetermined limits the motor energizing circuit will be closed through the rheostat, but when said speed is exceeded said motor energizing circuit will be opened, and the ma net circuit will be closed, and that when sai magnet circuit is closed, a dynamic brake circuit will be established including the armature of said motor and the normally open contact closed by the armature of said ma et.

n testimony whereof, I hereunto aifiz; my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN B. BENSON.

Witnesses:

F. H. ZINN, EDYTHE HENRY. 

